Finally, Some Hollow Waves From California's XXM Swell - Stab Mag

Coming In June: Stab High Japan, Presented By Monster Energy

14 Views
You can hear the peanut gallery from here. Framegrab: Jimmicane

Finally, Some Hollow Waves From California’s XXM Swell

Skip McCullough and Damien Hobgood share in “by far the best session I’ve ever witnessed in San Diego.”

cinema // Dec 30, 2023
Words by August Howell
Reading Time: < 1 minute

While most lineups north of Point Conception have been buried under whitewater (except ski-laden Mavericks) during California’s holiday swell extravaganza, San Diego lit up like an overdressed Christmas tree yesterday. 

With a long period of WNW slamming California, perennial all-star filmer/photographer/frother Jimmy Wilson posted up at one of SD’s XXM reefs on December 29 at 7:15 a.m…and didn’t wrap up until 3 p.m. He abstained from food and water for nearly eight hours, dodged the parking police all day and stayed up late into the night to get the edited footage on your screens in a timely manner. Keep in mind this was a day after Jimmy filmed Swamis carnage. Someone get him a rack (or a set wave).

The hollow lefthand barrels he captured on Friday made for “by far the best session I’ve ever witnessed in San Diego,” not an insignificant claim from someone who has documented sessions there for a decade. 

Yesterday’s waves were not perfect to be sure. Shifting peaks, closeouts and broken boards outweighed the makes. But there were visions to be sure. Skip McCullough must have been on someone’s nice list this year. 

Meanwhile, Ben Gravy and Jacob Szekely dusted off the family heirlooms (10’2 and 9’6, respectively) to take on canyon-enhanced Blacks. Not the biggest ever, but still capable of snapping three-inch thick rhino chasers. The duo dodged dolphins, cleanup sets and bailed guns up and down the sandbar. Kudos to Ben for capitalizing on the biggest swells to hit New Jersey and California in several years in less than 10 days. 

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

How Can Surfers Stay Safe In Baja?

Dino Andino, Rusty Long, and Damien Fahrenfort offer their insight following the tragic murder of…

May 8, 2024

Why Does Gabriel Medina Keep Losing On Buzzer-Beaters?

We sat through every single heat from 2022 - 2024 to find out.

May 7, 2024

Stab High Japan, Presented By Monster Energy Is Coming This June!

It’s the world’s best flyboys and girls vs. PerfectSwell technology, broadcast live on Stab Premium.

May 7, 2024

(Surf) Respect: How Do You Get It?

The secrets to living a productive life and earning the admiration of your peers.

May 7, 2024

Stab Interview: Laura Enever On Her World Record Payday, Why Cloudbreak Bites Harder Than Shipsterns + The Terrors Of Live Commentary

"That sums up my career perfectly - got a 10, still lost the heat"

May 5, 2024

Full Frame: “Mullet Lord” Frolics In The Fruits Of His Realm

Beloved Aussie coffee shop owner colludes with lip to brew steamy concoction.

May 5, 2024

Erin Brooks And Mikey McDonagh Summit Freshly Spawned Mountain Of Challenger Series Rankings

Perfect 10s, phallic polyurethane, and numerous benthic vortexes marked the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro.

May 4, 2024

Paul Fisher Resurrects Iconic Dick Board, Inadvertently Saves The WSL

Surfing's gone soft? Take this blue pill.

May 3, 2024

2 Australian Surfers, 1 American Still Missing In Baja California, Mexico

Three suspects have been arrested, a truck was found burned, but the friends remain "missing".

May 2, 2024

Zipper Offcut: A Pacific Island Micro-Wedge

Chippa, Harry, Dion, a hazardous ramp, and a near fiberglass-vasectomy.

May 2, 2024

UNLOCKED: Chippa Wilson Stars In ‘Zipper’ — A Surf Film By Stab & Monster

Featuring Filipe Toledo, Harry Bryant, Bobby Martinez, Eithan Osborne, Taro Watanabe, and Dion Agius.

May 2, 2024

Is Nat Young’s 4.03 A Symbol Of Surf Judging Demise, Or A Harmless Scoring Aberration?

World champs, super coaches, WSL commentators and more sound off on the state of surf…

May 1, 2024

How Stretch And Nathan Fletcher SpaceX’d Surfboard Design Into The Future

“I brought the boards to Hawaii and everybody laughed at me. Everyone except Michael Ho…

Apr 30, 2024

Doug Silva Is The Skullet-Locked 12x World Party Champ Working Wonders For Seth Moniz’s Tour Trajectory

Here's how he uses EDM + storytelling to snap talent into 'infected alligators'.

Apr 30, 2024

Marti Paradisis On The New Shipsterns Safety Initiative + The Laziness Of Bandwagoning Swell Carnivals

Before calling Shipsterns Bluff and getting flexed, read this. 

Apr 28, 2024

Full Frame: A 15-Minute, One-Wave Pipe Session

"Oh shit, that was kind of nuts, I think I think I'm just gonna go…

Apr 27, 2024

Want Half-A-Brain? Keep Calling Helmets Lame

Kai Lenny surfs hideous Jaws + Mavs + Waimea, joins esteemed list of surfers to…

Apr 27, 2024

80 Men And 48 Women Enter The CS Gauntlet — Only 15 Will Survive

Your 2024 Challenger Series x Gold Coast Pro preview.

Apr 26, 2024
Advertisement